Automatic stopping mechanism for bottle washing machinery



INERY C. GERLACH Feb. 1, 1944.

AUTOMATIC STOPPING MECHANISM-FOR BOTTLE WASHING MACH Filed May 12, 19412 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. is ffizacfl A T TO RNEY.

Feb. 1, 1944.

c. GERLACH AUTOMATIC STOPPING MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE WASHING MACHINERYFiled May 12, 1941 "W f "wil 2 Sheets-Shet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 1, 1944 AUTOMATIC STOPPING MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE WASHINGMACHINERY Charles Gerlach, Waukesha, Wis., assignor to Michael YundtCompany, Waukesha, Wis., a

corporation of Wisconsin Application May 12, 1941, Serial No. 393,015

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in bottle-washing machines ofthe type wherein the bottles are carried through the soaking tank andexternal brushing mechanism, and internal brushing means and suitablerinsers, by a motor-driven conveyor having endless chains carryingindividual pockets or compartments supporting the bottles in an invertedposition in the upper run of the conveyor.

The internal brushing means for the bottles for the type of the machinecontemplated comprises a vertically movable washing head carryingspindles or nozzles from which .the washing fluid issues. The gearinginterposed between the conveyor and its driving motor is of suchcharacter as to move the conveyor with step-by-step motion, and duringthe intervals when the conveyor is at rest the washing head firstascends to cause the spindle or nozzles carried thereby to pass up intothe inverted bottles and then descends to move the spindles and nozzlesdown-out of the bottles to. their original position below the upper runof the conveyor. This up and down move ment of the washing head is timedor synchronized with the step-by-step movement of the conveyor, but iffor any reason, as for example a broken bottle, the washing head shouldlook up or jam with the washing spindles or nozzles in position in thebottles, serious breakage or damage to the machine and loss ofproduction may result,

The present invention proposes to preclude breakage or damage to themachine and consequent loss of production by interposing a yieldableelement in the motion mechanism which raises and lowers the washing headand so combining this yieldable element with a control device for themachine drive that in the event of lock-up or jamming of the washinghead, the machine will automatically be stopped. Preferably theyieldable element is yieldable in one direction only and takes the formof a connecting rod or pitman made up of two sections which positivelyabut one another when transmitting the upward movement of the washingheadbut which may move relative to each other against the action of aspring when controlling the downward movement of the descent of thewashing head. If the washing head is jammed or locked, when lifted, thesections of the connecting rod move relative to each other and bring aswitch operator carried by one into engagement with the button of aswitch carried by the other "to open the switch and stop the machine.The switch may be established in controlling relation to the machine invarious ways. For example, it may regulate the action of anelectro-magnetically controlled clutch, or it may be in electricalcontrol of the motor itself by means of contactors or other suitableswitch gear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterand having these ad-- vantages, and which is extremely simple andcompact in its construction, reliable and effective in operation, easyand comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install, and of such anature as not to interfere with or impair in any Way the normalfunctioning of the machine although always ready for action should theundesirable lock-up or jamming of the washing machine occur.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will behereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the internal brushingor washing means of the bottle-washing machine equipped with anautomatic stop mechanism providing the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central,vertical, longitudinal section showing the special connecting rod andthe cooperating control device which constitutes the major elements ofthe automatic stop mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Figure 2 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figures 4 and 5 are views in transverse vertical section taken on lines4-4 and 55, respectively, of Figure 2, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows, with parts shown in elevation for the sake of simplicity inillustration of the invention; and

Figure 6 is an elementary diagram showing by way of illustrative examplehow the control de vice of the automatic stop mechanism may be combinedwith the drive for the conveyor of the machine.

Referring to the drawings the numeral I0 designates a washing tankcontaining a vertically shiftable washing head ll carrying nozzles orwashing spindles l2. The washing head H, and its washing nozzles orspindles 12, may be of the type disclosed in United States LettersPatent 1,978,721, granted October 30, 1934, to Frank P. Perkins, forNozzles for washing bottles, al

though various other constructions well known in the art may also beemployed. An endless flexible or chain conveyor, diagrammatically i1-lustrated at I3, is provided in the tank I5, and is reeved about idlerpulleys is and a driving pulley l5. The upper run of this endlessconveyor I3 is substantially horizontal. Along the conveyor aretransverse rows of bottle carriers i6 having individual bottlecompartments or pockets, each of which support a bottle, designated atB, in an inverted position. The upper run of the conveyor is horizontaland travels over the washing head H and its nozzles and spindles l2 whenthese parts are in their lowered position. The conveyor 13 is driven ina step-by-step motion from an electric motor H. The motor shaft l8 actsthrough suitable drive gear, including a clutch diagrammaticallyillustrated at iii, to drive a shaft 20. This shaft 26 is supported forrotation in suitable bearings provided therefor on the washing tank It,extends transversely of the tank, and projects at its ends therebeyond.On one projecting end of the shaft 25 a onetoothed driving gear 2! isfixed. The onetoothed driving gear 28 coacts with and drives amulti-slotted gear 22 fixed to the projecting end of a parallel shaft 23on which the driving sprocket l for the conveyor l3 disposed inside thewasking tank I 0 is fixed.

In order to cause the washing head H and its nozzles or spindles 62 toascend and descend when the conveyor i3 is at rest, a double-flanged cam25 is also fixed to the projecting end of the shaft 26. The groove ofthis cam receives 2. laterally projecting cam roller 25 carried by anintermediate portion of a cam lever 22'. One end of the cam. lever 2'!is fulcrumed as at 28 on the outside of the washing tank iii. Theopposite end of the cam lever 27! is pivotally connected, as at 29, toone end of a connecting rod, designated generally at 3B. The oppositeend of this connecting rod 35 is pivotally connected, as at 3|, to alink 32. The link 32 has a link block 33 non-pivotally interfltted witha slot 54 provided therefor in a crank arm 35 fixed to the projectingend of a transverse rock shaft 55 also supported in suitable bearingsprovided therefor on the tank I 0. Within the tank ill a crank arm orrock lever 3'! is fixed to the rock shaft 36 and is operativelyinterconnected with the carriage 39 which supports and controls theraising and lowering movement of the washing head I l and its nozzlesI2.

The connecting rod 35 is of special construc tion and has sections 40and M, the section 45 being connected to the cam follower lever 27 andthe section 4| to the link 32. The section -35 has a cylinder or guidesocket structure 43 adjustably threadedly interconnected therewith, andis held in selected adjustment by a nut 55. One end of the cylinder isprovided with a removable end head 45 which has an integral guide sleeve46. The guide sleeve 45 of the section lll-slidably receives a piston orguide rod i'l provided or incorporated in the section 55 of theconnecting rod. A piston-like structure or guide collar 48 is threadedor otherwise suitably secured to the inner end of the piston rod ii andhas a free sliding fit in the cylinder or socket 15. A compression coilspring 69 is disposed in the cylinder 53 and has one end abutting theintegralend of the cylinder 43 and its other end abutting the piston orguide collar 43. The spring 49 is under sufficient compression to tendto maintain the piston 48 engaged with the head 45 of the cylinder. Thecylindrical wall of the cylinder 43 is provided with diametricallyopposite slots 50 and 5|. A stop pin 52 is threaded into the piston 48and works in the slot 5| to limit the extent to which section 45 maymove relative to the section 41. A switch operating pin 53 is alsothreadedly connected or otherwise suitably secured to the piston 48 andextends out through and projects beyond the slot 50 and is cooperativelyrelated to the push button 54 of a control switch 55. The control device55 is enclosed and supported in a housing 51 which is fixed to a bracket58 secured by studs 59 or the like to the integral head of the cylinder43.

The control switch 55 is so combined with the motor means for drivingthe conveyor as to be effective to stop the machine when the washinghead H is jammed or locked up, and whil this may be accomplished invarious ways; one way of bringing about the desired results isillustrated in an elemental anddiagrammatic fashion in Figure 6. Asthere shown the push button of the switch 55 is rigidly connected withthe bridging contact 56 of the switch. Contact 56 is cooperable withspaced fixed contacts 51 and 58, and is biased into engagement therewithby means of a spring 59. Contact 5! is connected by wire 55 to one ofthe power lines 61 which supply electric current of the motor l'!.Contact 53 is connected by wire 62 to one terminal of anelectro-magnetic winding or coil 63, and the other terminal of this coil63 is connected by wire or conductor 64 to the other power line 65 ofthe motor supply circuit. A hand-operated switch 55 of any suitable typeis also incorporated in the motor circuit. The electro-magnetic winding63 may be the coil of the solenoid which has a reciprocable core orplunger 65 operatively interconnected in any suitable way with theoperating means 65 provided for the clutch l9. The arrangement may besuch that when the switch 55 is closed the coil 63 is energized and theclutch I9 is engaged so that the motor drives the conveyor. In the eventof lock-up or jamming of the washing head, the section 40 of theconnecting rod 35 moves to the right, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2,relative to the section 4|, whereupon the push button 54 will be movedover and pressed against the switch-operating pin 53, thereby shiftingthe bridging contact 56 to its open position shown in Figure 6,consequently deenergizing the solenoid and effecting disengagement ofthe clutch l9 and stoppage of the machine.

It is to be understood that the jaw clutch shown in Figure 6 merelyillustrates'in a very simple manner a clutch mechanism, and that anysuitable clutch mechanism may be employed, and any suitableelectro-magnetic operating mechanism may be provided for engaging anddisengaging the clutch. Further, as before indicated, the automaticstopping mechanism embodying the present invention may be utilized inother ways for eiiecting the automatic stoppage of the machine, as forexample the switch 55 may be utilized to control the energization anddeenergization of the winding of the contactor incorporated in the motorcircuit.

While I have shown and described several constructions in which theinvention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood. thatthe constructions shown have been selected merely for the purpose ofillustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape,and arrangement of the partsrmay be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A safety stop mechanism of the character described for use withmotor-driven mechanism and including a connecting rod through which thedrive is transmitted from the motor to the mechanism, said connectingrod being made up of two sections, a coupling between said sectionsincluding a cylinder fixed to one of the sections and a piston fixed tothe other and slidable in said cylinder, a spring interposed between thepiston and the cylinder and normally forcing the piston against one endof the cylinder to provide for a positive transmission of motion in onedirection, said spring under normal conditions transmitting motion in anopposite direction without yielding but yielding and allowing relativemotion of the piston and cylinder when the mechanism is overloaded,control means including a control switch mounted on the cylinder, biasedto closed position, and acting when closed to provide for the drive ofsaid mechanism by said mo tor, and an operator directly actuated by thepiston and effective to open the switch and stop the drive of themechanism upon relative movement of the piston and cylinder.

2. A safety stop mechanism of the character described for use withmotor-driven mechanism and including a connecting rod through which thedrive is transmitted from the motor to the mechanism, said connectingrod being made up of two sections, a coupling between said sectionsincluding a cylinder fixed to one of the sections and a piston fixed tothe other and slidable in said cylinder, a spring interposed between thepiston and the cylinder and normally forcing the piston against one endof the cylinder to provide for a positive transmission of motion in onedirection, said spring under normal conditions transmitting motion in anopposite direction without yielding but yielding and allowing relativemotion of the piston and cylinder when the mechanism is overloaded,control means including a, control switch mounted on the cylinder,biased to closed position and acting when closed to provide for thedrive of said mechanism by said motor, said cylinder having a, slottherein, and an operating pin fixed to the piston projecting through thefixed slot and engageable with said switch to open the same andautomatically stop the drive of the mechanism on relative movement ofsaidpiston and cylinder.

CHARLES GERLACH.

